furry food for thought

RingtailedFox's stories

Gigantic beaver invades Fort Smith

Sat 21 May 2011 - 23:32

"Canada's Secret War Weapon Escapes!" — "IT'S COMIN' RIGHT FOR US!" — "Nickelodeon's 1990s Cartoon Based on True Canadian Stories?" — "Why did the Beaver Cross the Road?"

Any of those headlines would be equally accurate in this very odd story from Fort Smith in Canada's Northwest Territories. The small, otherwise-sleepy northern town just north of the Alberta-NWT border was the victim of a rampaging beaver that alarmed several residents and prompted a call from the territory's Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

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Rabid skunk alert in Royal Oak, Michigan; 2 destroyed

Sat 7 May 2011 - 23:25

Unfortunate news from Metro Detroit this week: On Thursday, a pair of rabid skunks were destroyed in the suburb of Royal Oak, causing the police to issue a warning to local residents. [WXYZ-TV - Channel 7 Detroit and WDIV-TV - ClickonDetroit.com]

The Royal Oak Police say the skunks were found on the 1700 Block of Maxwell Avenue and the 200 block of Dewey Street, near Oakview Cemetery. Numerous calls were received from concerned homeowners in the highly-built-up residential area. The police said those coming into contact with an animal who they suspect may have rabies should leave the area and call them.

Read more: Information on rabies from the Oakland County Health Department and Wikipedia.

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Wanted for bank robbery: "Large Furry Animal"

Sat 7 May 2011 - 23:08

Swedish newspaper Gotebors-Posten reports that police fired shots at a person wearing a costume, who held up a bank in a large shopping center in the city of Gothenberg late Friday.

A witness told G-P that:

A man in a monkey outfit, or similar, may have been a bear too, came running with security guards behind him. I thought it was a joke at first, a stunt, but then I walked past the bank and saw the shattered glass.

A burning car was discovered by police near the crime scene about an hour after the robbery. Investigations for the unusually-attired suspect are continuing, but he outran the officers at the scene and no arrests have yet been made. [via The Sydney Herald Sun]

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Freeway extension rattles snakes

Wed 20 Apr 2011 - 13:43

In recent days, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) has erected a two-meter (six foot) tall fence, stretching 9 kilometers (about 5.5 miles) along the threatened eastern fox snake's habitat in the city of Windsor, Ontario's west end.

The special fabric fence – which extends below ground level – was erected because the snake can climb and slither beneath regular fences. The MTO was concerned that snakes might wander into the construction zone, where they would be at risk.

The fence was built with assistance from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to keep the construction project in compliance with the Endangered Species Act, as work begins on extending Highway 401 west towards the proposed bridge to Detroit.

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Dog survives three weeks at sea following Japanese tsunami

Fri 1 Apr 2011 - 21:21

Another Japanese dog has survived the terrible earthquake and tsunami — this time, by clinging to the roof of its floating home after it was swept out to sea. The dog (named Ban) was rescued by the Japanese Coast Guard (with some assistance from nearby American disaster relief workers and the JSDF) during a search for survivors after its house was washed away three weeks ago. Thomson Reuters had reported that the dog was found on the roof of its home, floating 1.8 km (1.1 miles) off the coast of Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, in northern Japan. See also: Japanese dog stays by injured canine comrade after disaster

Japanese dog stays by injured canine comrade after disaster

Thu 17 Mar 2011 - 21:01

We've been hearing of the horrible tragedy in Japan over the past week caused by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear meltdowns at the Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Plant, but there is one story of hope from the striken oriental nation: rescue workers discovered a dog guarding a fellow dog that was injured in the earthquake.

At first, the dog would not let rescue workers near its friend, but they were able to gradually bring the injured dog to an animal hospital in the city of Mito. The guardian dog was taken to a different shelter in the city; both are recieving medical treatment for their ordeals.

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Michigan man jailed for wolf hunting

Sat 26 Feb 2011 - 20:29

A Michigan man has been sentenced by the St. Ignace District Court to serve a year in jail – with a mandatory 90 days in prison – and pay US$5090 in restitution and fines, after having been found guilty of shooting three wolves. 58-year-old William Hayward of Bay City, MI plead guilty to shooting three wolves in Mackinac County, and destroying tracking collars that two of the wolves wore. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment is investigating separate wolf poachings in Chippewa and Luce counties, also in the eastern portion of the Upper Peninsula. Courtesy: WDIV-TV Local 4 (ClickOnDetroit.com) and the Associated Press

Update: Michigan DNRE is continuing its investigation. [WDIV-TV Local 4 (ClickOnDetroit.com)]

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Bolivian lions rescued, sent to U.S. wildlife sanctuary

Wed 16 Feb 2011 - 22:39

Twenty-five lions have been rescued from circuses in Bolivia by animal rights activist group Animal Defenders International. The thirteen males and twelve females were taken from what were called "deplorable conditions" after Bolivian lawmakers prohibited animals from being used in performances.

Television personality and former The Price is Right host Bob Barker helped finance a jetliner to fly the lions to Denver at a cost of US$200,000, in what was called "Operation Lion Ark". When rescued, most of the lions suffered from dehydration, as well as foot and eye infections.

Foxes on house roof in Charlottetown, PEI

Tue 18 Jan 2011 - 16:47

A pair of foxes are minor celebrities in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, after being found hanging out on the roof of a home. They didn't seem to mind the curious visitors that came to see them, and even mated in front of them at one point. Courtesy: CBCT-TV (CBC Charlottetown) and WDIV-TV Local 4 (ClickOnDetroit.com)

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Fox shoots hunter in Belarus

Thu 13 Jan 2011 - 18:18

In an ironic twist of fate that seems straight out of fiction, a hunter in the Eastern European country of Belarus was reportedly shot with his own gun by a fox he was hunting.

The "fantastic" fox involved happened to pull the trigger of the hunter's rifle at the right moment, when the hunter tried to finish it off with the butt of the rifle. The hunter is recovering in a hospital from a gunshot wound to the leg, while the fox, though previously injured in the ordeal, has retreated to the woods.

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